Road Transportation in Poland

Updated on Tuesday 16th December 2014

Poland is a link between the Eastern/Western and North/South routes of the European Union. Its geographical location and the increase of international transport in Europe make Poland a valuable corridor for road transportation.

Types of roads in Poland

The road network in Poland is constantly growing and improving. Even though the relatively poor condition of the Polish roads was an impediment for the mobility of goods and people, in recent years the government invested generously in this sector and improvement and growth became a constant in the country's landscape.

The Polish public roads are divided into categories related to administrative division. The types of roads are:

- Motorways and expressways;

- National roads;

- Cantonal roads;

- Powiat roads;

- Gmina roads.

Motorways and Expressways in Poland

In 2012, Poland had six motorways (although not all of them complete) that amounted to 1.330 km and approximately 20 major expressways amounting to a total of 1.144 kilometres. As of December 2013, there are 2,820 kilometres of motorways and expressways in use in Poland.

Future development plans include a list of seven complete motorways: two routes will follow an east to west direction (A 2 centrally and A4 southerly) and one motorway will cross the country through a north to south axis (A1, running centrally from Gdańsk to the Polish-Czech border).

Expressways in Poland are limited-access roads divided into dual or single carriageways.

Importance of road transportation in Poland

Different types of businesses in Poland rely on road transportation alone. A good roads network can facilitate the different businesses of both local and foreign entrepreneurs.

The level of transport infrastructure can attract foreign investors and make cities and regions more competitive. Import and export companies in Poland rely on the advantage given by the country’s strategic geographical position.

Future development plans intent to exploit the advatageous position of Poland as a European country. There are plans regarding the `Via Baltica` expressway, part of the European Corridor I, witch will run from Warsaw to Helsinki and connect the countries of southern and western Europe with Finland via Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Although not yet finished, the Express S61 in Poland is intended to be part of the `Via Baltica`.

The increasing and updating level of transport infrastructure will secure Poland’s position as one of the most important junction points in Europe and will make Poland an ever more interesting and attractive business destination.